Salem, Indiana (Friday, May 1, 2015): Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS officials have announced that VanDoorn Racing Development has stepped up their support of CRA by becoming the sponsor of the VanDoorn Racing Development Rookie Award Program with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance for the upcoming 2015 season, which includes the Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year Award that is named in honor of legendary crew chief Howie Lettow who passed away five years ago after a valiant battle with cancer.
The Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year Award Presented by VanDoorn Racing Development will be awarded to the highest finishing registered rookie in the final 2015 VanDoorn Racing Development Rookie Award Program points with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour. With this program the drivers get to drop their worse two finishes of the season. Cody Coughlin was awarded the inaugural Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year Award at the end of the 2011 season. Anderson Bowen was the 2012 winner, Corey Deuser the 2013 winner and Grant Quinlan was the winner in 2014.
Howie Lettow was a respected and successful crew chief in the old ASA National Tour and with the now defunct ASA Late Model Series. Few individuals had the credentials of Lettow and his outstanding ability to mold and work with some of the finest short track stock car drivers in the country, especially his ability to work with rookie drivers. Drivers who worked with Lettow and earned Rookie of the Year Titles in ASA included NASCAR Superstar Jimmy Johnson, Ken Lund, Ted Musgrave, Scott Hansen, Steve Holzhausen, Steve Carlson, Ricky Johnson and David Stremme.
“We are very honored to have VanDoorn Racing Development supporting this great program with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour,” stated Butch VanDoorn with VanDoorn Racing Development. “Howie was one of the best Crew Chiefs around, especially working with young rookie drivers. Every year this series continues to attract great young talent as one of the top development series in the country!”
The Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year Award Presented by VanDoorn Racing Development winner will receive their choice of a bare VanDoorn Racing Development Late Model Chassis or a $1000 cash bonus from VanDoorn Racing Development. VanDoorn Racing Development will award the second place finisher in rookie points with a $100 Product Certificate and the third place finisher with a $50 Product Certificate.
The VanDoorn Racing Development Rookie Award Program will also include the VanDoorn Racing Development Rookie of the Race Award, which will consist of a $100 cash bonus awarded to the highest finishing registered rookie at each JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour event during the 2015 season. VanDoorn Racing Development will also be a Contingency Award Sponsor again with the series, awarding the first and 13th place finishers at each event with $75 Product Certificates and will award a $400 Product Certificate toward a Shock Rebuild to the 2015 series Champion and one by random draw of the top 10 finishers in final points at the 2015 CRA Awards Banquet.
VanDoorn Racing Development will also support the ARCA/CRA Super Series again in 2015 with the VanDoorn Racing Development Lap Leader Award Program. The driver leading the most laps at each series event will receive a $75 Product Certificate towards a Shock Rebuild. The driver leading the most laps during the 2015 season will receive a $500 Product Certificate from VanDoorn Racing Development. In addition VanDoorn Racing Development will award a $75 Product Certificate towards a Shock Rebuild to the driver with the fastest overall time in practice at each series event and will award a $500 Product Certificate by random draw of the top ten in final series points at the 2015 CRA Awards Banquet.
Based in Fruitport, Michigan, VanDoorn Racing Development provides a variety of services to short track racing. VanDoorn Racing Development was founded by three time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion Johnny VanDoorn and three time CRA Championship winning Crew Chief Butch VanDoorn. They offer complete cars, repair work, one stop setup and shock services. They work with all divisions of racecars from Sportsman to Late Models on asphalt and dirt. VanDoorn Racing Development has already been to victory lane several times in 2014 and 2015 with Johnny VanDoorn, Hunter Baize, and most recently this past Sunday with Eddie Van Meter. Contact VanDoorn Racing Development at 616-813-9659 or follow VanDoorn Racing Development on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vandoornracingdevelopment.
There have been several drivers who have already announced their intentions to run for the 2015 Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year Award Presented by VanDoorn Racing Development including Quinnton Bear, Austin Kunert, Kevin Zielezinski, Mandy Chick and Matt Mills. In addition to the awards from VanDoorn Racing Development, the 2015 Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year Award Presented by VanDoorn Racing Development will also be awarded a race ready carburetor from VDL Fuel Systems, a pair of AP Brake Rotors, a $200 Product Certificate from Port City RaceCars, a $200 Product Certificate from Quarter Master Racing Clutches, a $200 Product Certificate from Howe Racing, a $100 Product Certificate from Joes Racing Products and a $100 Product Certificate from FLUIDYNE.
More information on the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance is available at www.cra-racing.com.
